Talk Depression

As you would think, depression can be extremely deep in a disease like Parkinson’s because it robs the person of the ability to move properly, which makes it difficult to do the things they did in their lives. Even in its early stages, it can be a source of embarrassment because of the shaking, even though people should not feel embarrassed at what they cannot control. But common thought had been that anti-depressants would make the disease worse because they often modify the chemicals in the brain. But a new study is showing that not only is that is wrong, but they actually can be useful in helping the person battle the emotional struggles of the disease.


The study looked at 115 different patients, all over 30 and had no sign of dementia, but did have Parkinson’s and clinical depression. They divided the patients into three groups, each one representing a particular style of drug, whether it was an SSRI, a SNRI, or a placebo. The purpose of the research...

Recently we lost one of our members to suicide and it made us reflect on the process that one goes through before reaching that point. It’s a horrific thing to be in so much pain that you would rather end your life, unknowing of what is in the afterlife (religious or not), in order to make that pain go away. It seems that they reached out and did not find satisfaction in the online world, and that’s unfortunate. But it is understandable to an extent. People, whether in cyberspace or in the real world, don’t really comprehend how much torture depression leading up to such an act can be.

Studies have shown that as we enter the second decade of the 21st century, male depression is on the rise. We can't be sure exactly why that is, but it could be something to do with sexism being turned on its head. The misogyny and sexism against women that was so prevalent before the 1970s changed from 1980 onwards, but now we have come to an age where it's socially acceptable to tell a man he's useless, and 'girl power' is still very much a good thing...

There are several medical researches carried out to determine the cause of depression but none has suggested an exact mechanism that triggers such illness. Unlike the old studies that suggested that a person will suffer from depression as a result of troubled thoughts or emotions, new discovery suggests the causes can be multi-factorial.

Biological/ Genetic
Biological causes are caused by changes in the chemistry of the brain such as fluctuations in the level of hormones. Genetical reasons for depressions can run in families for generations. In the case of if one identical twin suffering from depression, the chances the other twin suffering from the same illnes is 70 percent. As for adoptive family members, depressive illnesses has little effect on the child.

Neurotransmitter Imbalance
Depression can be caused by neurotransmitter imbalances that are involved in mood regulation and help different areas of the brain to communicate with each other...

Depression, either severe or mild can lessen our quality of life overall. However, certain key symptoms can be avoided by following a healthy lifestyle, having a positive attitude and developing healthy habits.


The common depression symptoms that result from environment or external factors can be lesssened by reminding ourselves that nobody’s life is without conflict. Life's occasional stress or obstacles are about learning how to manage daily stress so we can fully enjoy life. When dealing with feelings of depression, try to accept that minor set backs are part of life, loss of things and loss of loved ones unfortunately is also part of life. When experiencing feelings of depression reach out and accept help and support from others.

Besides being mentally positive, strive for improving your physical health. Exercise is very important in our lives as it ties into our mental health. Daily moderate exercise can help improve health and lower blood pressure. It...

Depression symptoms are different for everyone. Some people have depression symptoms that are severe and very obvious when something about them doesn't look or feel right. However, to others, these symptoms can be subtle and in general they feel miserable or unhappy about themselves without specific reasons.


Depressed mood
Depressed people feel sad or empty and may even cry frequently. Both children and adults may even display irritability and similar depression symptoms. Although depression is often explained as being in an extreme state of sadness, there is a difference between clinical depression and sadness. A sad person feels bad but with the hope for strength to...

Accurate and effective management of depression requires a combination of medication and long-term psycho-therapy. Many psychotherapists begin treatment with their patients' feelings of being ‘trapped’ in their depression, more than 90% of clinically depressed patients describe some form of emotional paralysis. Medication controls the patient's biochemistry, addressing the source that triggers episodes of sadness, withdrawal,
hopelessness, psychological fatigue, and emotional paralysis.


One frequent advertisement for an anti-depressant medication represents this feeling with a wind-up doll, the voice-over saying, "I have to wind myself up to get going every day, and I have...

With so much pressure and competition teenagers experience it is safe to say they are the worst hit generation with depression. Unfortunately teenage depression is often overlooked as parents tend to view their teenager’s mood swing and odd behavior as another ‘teenage trait’.

Teenage depression does not mean just occasional unhappiness or bad moods but it is constant sadness and anger. Depression is a very serious matter because it affects every aspect of a teenager’s life; it affects their relationships with their parents, siblings, teachers and friends. If left untreated, depression can result into several problems such as school trouble, drug / alcohol abuse, homicidal violence and suicide. Teenage depression treatable, however different studies say that only 20% of them receive timely help...

Depression can be described as an illness of the mind where the affected person remains in a state of sadness and is unable to concentrate and actively participate in normal day to day activities. There is no single cause of depression, since there can be a series of events that lead to depression. Research has shown that depression can be hereditary and run in families; however there are many cases where there is no family history of depression. Whatever the reason, the major depressive disorder or depression has association with brain functioning or changes in brain structures.


Some of the common factors that can trigger depression are discussed below:

Family history:This is an important factor when patients suffering from depression are treated. At times, depressive state of mind runs in the families for generations.

Trauma and stressTrauma and stress related to certain events such as death of a loved one, financial problems, change of job...

It may seem obvious that those that had an abusive childhood where they were mistreated, abused or even raped would have a more difficult time in life. The horrid tragedies of such scenarios often put that person into a recurrent and severe depression that lasts long after the abuse stops. But a new study shows that perhaps the treatments that doctors have been prescribing, both drug and psychological, are not working because they aren’t the right tool for the job.


Abuse is a horrific thing for a kid to go through, whether it’s physical pain, mental degradation, sexual or even the loss of a loved one. A hardship like that can do physical damage to the brain and immune system. This damage, referred to sometimes as a biological scar, can elude the treatments of anti-depressants and talk therapy. Doctors often find that such patients that are abused as a child really do not find benefit in these, even after several drug treatment regiments and psychological...

Today’s article is really a bone I have to pick with the TV advertising world. I don’t know whose brilliant idea it was to let pharmaceuticals pawn their wares on the public air ways, but it was a bad idea for a couple of reasons. And if you were wondering what this has to do with depression, bear with me.


I was watching TV today, a soap opera, and an ad for one of the anti-depressant medicines popped onto my screen. It was going along fine, telling me that if I am suffering from certain symptoms, such as aches and pains and loss of love for the things I used to do, that it could help. And during the first 10 seconds or so, I actually thought maybe I should talk to my doctor about this. I have some of the things they were talking about and it couldn’t hurt to ask him if it was right for me.

But then came the other 20 seconds and if you’ve seen those ads, you know exactly where I am going with this. It’s a list of everything that could possibly go wrong while...

Supermoms are women who balance a full time job or career and take care of their children at home. It’s quite a rough existence if one cannot find the balance between their work and home life that they can feel comfortable with and that can lead to an increased risk of depression.


Katrina Luepp, who is a graduate student at the University of Washington, followed up with 1600 married women in their 40’s that had answered questions 20 years earlier about their opinions on what the woman’s role in the workplace and at home was. Those that stated that a woman could have it all, both career and children, without sacrificing much, were at an increased risk of depression than those that understood that one could not handle everything without giving up something to balance it out.

Working somewhere in a career or just a job is quite satisfying to most people and missing out on that to raise the children can sometimes have a dark effect on those that feel as though they...